3/3/09

OUT LIKE A LAMB

Only a few weeks until spring gets here - we hope... My daffodils are finally poking their leaves out of the soil, but there's no sign of the snow drops yet.

These tulips were painted with layers of miskit protecting the already painted shapes that weren't to get any darker. After each application of miskit dried, color was poured over the wet paper, then allowed to dry, too... more miskit, then more poured paint - with a total of seven layers of poured paint over seven different applications of miskit. No paint brush loaded with paint ever touched the paper, except for signing it.

The batiks and taping techniques on this blog were created with the same process, but with different materials to protect the lighter values. Instead of miskit, masking tape can be torn to cover shapes on the watercolor paper, or hot wax can be painted on washi papers to protect shapes before adding darker values of colors. Whatever's used to protect existing values helps keep the lighter values light and untouched, while the darker values are built up, usually resulting in fresher looking watercolors.

It's a great way to teach the importance of value changes to artists. Color does seem to get all the credit for a good painting, but VALUE really does do all the work - defining shapes, distance, forms, etc.

Watch for a post of another painting of the nearly same tulips tomorrow done with other colors, resulting in a completely different mood. Painting the same picture several times seems to bother some artists, but I enjoy the surprises and lessons that each painting brings, since they all have their own uniqueness.

"PINK PARADE" Transparent Watercolor on 140#HP Arches 21 x 14"

7 comments:

Vicki Greene said...

Wow, beautiful! I learn so much from following your blog. You are so generous with your knowledge and I love your willingness to experiment.

laura said...

I love how lightstruck your tulips are; the petals are translucent!
I'd never think to mask already painted areas! Thanks for sharing the process.

Dawn said...

fantastic Sandy!
you are going to fast, slow down so I can comment more ;)

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

What an incredible result from the very complex process - the tones are so subtly changing as you look at each flower head and overall the light is blinding. I agree with Vicki, your generosity of sharing techniques is much appreciated.

cathyswatercolors said...

Some process, beautiful picture. Can't wait to see tomorrows. thanks again for your encouragement. xox

Meera Rao said...

Very poetic! you do have a lot patience along with great eye and color sense. Thanks for explaining the process.

RH Carpenter said...

Looks like you actually painted these with light!